EFFECT OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN DAILY LIFE ON MUSCLE WEIGHT AND RELATIVE WEIGHT OF THE M. TRICEPS SURAE

In this paper, effects of physical activity in daily life on m. triceps surae were considered comparing the cadavers with decubitus with those without decubitus on muscle weight and relative muscle weight. The muscles were dissected from 18 cadavers (13 males and 5 females) aged 36 to 90 which were preserved in a 10% formalin solution for about one year. Immediately after the removal, weights of gastrocnemius and soleus were measured. Mean values of the muscle weights of soleus, gastrocnemius and combined total were heavier in male than in female. Those of the relative weights of soleus were larger than those of gastrocnemius in both sexes. The muscle weights showed remarkable inter-individ-ual variations and sexual differences. The decubitus group (non-active group) showed lighter muscle weight than the normal group did in both sexes. However, there were no differences in the relative muscle weight between both groups in both sexes. The rate of lack of m. plantaris was 11.1%. From these results, it was suggested that the relative muscle weight might not be influenced by physical activity in daily life but the muscle weight might change consid-erably related to it.